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Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
Adopted In compliance with 49 CFR Part 673 and 49 USC § 5329(d)
Version 4.0
2025
VERSION 4.0 PAGE 2
Certification of Compliance - 673.13(a)(b)
Fresno Area Express (FAX) is committed to planning and delivering bus service in ways that promote the health and safety of our customers, employees, contractors, and the public. This policy outlines FAX’s safety commitment, consistent with current federal regulations (49 CFR Part 673 and 49 U.S.C. § 5329(d)), and develops a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) based on the Safety Management Systems approach.
FAX’s management is responsible for maintaining a coordinated safety system to identify and prevent unsafe acts and conditions that present a potential danger or threat to public safety.
Executive and management staff are responsible for maintaining and implementing the PTASP and complying with this document's policies, procedures, and standards. All departments, personnel, and contract service operators are responsible for implementing and adhering to this plan. Any violation of safety and security practices is subject to appropriate administrative action. Management is ultimately responsible for the oversight, evaluation, implementation, and compliance with the plan while maintaining a safe and secure system.
Each employee shall be responsible for safely performing his or her duties following the procedures as outlined in the Public Transit Agency Safety Plan. It shall be the duty of all FAX employees to cooperate fully and provide any information that is requested during any investigation or review that may be undertaken by the City, the department, the Federal Transit Administration, or any other public that may have concern regarding the safety of operations within FAX.
____________________________________
Gregory A. Barfield, M.A.
_____________________________________
Director of Transportation / Fresno Area
Express
Accountable Executive
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VERSION CONTROL/REVISION HISTORY
Version Number and Updates
Record the complete history of successive versions of this plan.
Version
Number Status Change Reason for Change Date Issued
1 Approved Final Bipartisan Infrastructure July 2020
2 Revision Annual review of the PTASP February 2022
3 Revision Annual review of the PTASP August 2024
4 Revision Annual review and updates related to
2024 FTA guidance
October 2025
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Transit Agency Information……………………………………………………..5
Plan Development and Approval ……………………………………………11
Safety Performance Targets …….…………………………………………….13
Safety Management Policy..……………………………………………………16
Safety Risk Management…………………………………………………………17
Safety Assurance……………………………………………………………………..21
Safety Promotion…………………………………………………………………….24
Additional Information…………………………………………………………….26
Definitions and Acronyms ……………………………………………………….27
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TRANSIT AGENCY INFORMATION - 673.23(d)
Background
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) granted the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) the authority to establish and enforce a comprehensive framework to oversee public transportation safety throughout the United States. MAP-21 expanded the FTA's regulatory authority to oversee safety, providing an opportunity to assist transit agencies in moving towards a more holistic, performance-based approach to Safety Management Systems (SMS). This authority was continued through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act).
In compliance with MAP-21 and the FAST Act, FTA promulgated a Public Transportation Safety Program on August 11, 2016, that adopted SMS as the foundation for developing and implementing a Safety Program. FTA is committed to developing, implementing, and consistently improving strategies and processes to ensure that transit achieves the highest practicable level of safety. SMS helps organizations improve their safety performance by supporting the institutionalization of beliefs, practices, and procedures for identifying, mitigating, and monitoring safety risks.
This document is based on the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) rule, 49 CFR Part 673, and guidance provided by the FTA.
In November 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was signed into law and amended FTA’s safety program at 49 United States Code (USC) Section 5329(d) by adding to the PTASP requirements. Changes include strategies to minimize exposure to infectious diseases, strategies to reduce assaults on transit workers, expansion of training, and the formation of a Safety Committee. As of the publication of this revision of the Safety Plan, the FTA released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding changes based on the BIL. These changes will not substantially change this Safety Plan as they will codify what was included in 49 U.S.C. 5329(d), which was previously addressed.
FTA also recently released proposed revisions to the National Public Transportation Safety Plan (NPTSP) to address the new requirements in the BIL, enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to advance transit safety further. The revision supersedes the one that the FTA published in January 2017. It lays out a performance-based approach to reduce injuries and fatalities on transit systems under FTA’s safety jurisdiction. Three new Safety Performance Measures will be added for tracking, including “Transit Worker Fatality Rate” Assaults on Transit Workers,” and Rate of Assaults on Transit Workers.” This plan will then be updated to include two new Safety Risk Reduction Program Measures, which are “Assaults on Transit Workers” and “Rate of Assaults on Transit Workers, both of which are already reported to the FTA through the National Transit Database (NTD).
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Furthermore, In April 2024, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) made essential updates to the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) regulations to improve transit agencies' safety management and performance monitoring. These updates stress the need for data-based decisions and proactive risk management. Key changes include using advanced safety performance metrics to provide a more complete view of safety by recording a wider range of incidents and near-misses. This helps agencies spot potential hazards earlier and take action to prevent them. Additionally, the FTA now requires more thorough training programs for transit staff, focusing on modern safety management systems (SMS) practices and emergency preparedness to create a knowledgeable workforce focused on the culture of safety.
The updated PTASP regulation adds stronger oversight and accountability measures for 5307 agencies. These agencies must now conduct regular safety audits and submit detailed reports on their safety performance and compliance with SMS as detailed in their PTASP plans. These reports should include specific plans for addressing any safety issues identified and providing a commitment to continuous improvement. The regulation also highlights the importance of management in promoting a safety-first culture and encouraging executives to be actively involved in safety planning and decision-making processes, thereby promoting safety communications in top-down and bottom-up feedback.
Safety is a core business function of Fresno Area Express (FAX) and all public transit providers. It should be systematically applied to every aspect of service delivery. At FAX, all levels of management, administration, operations and maintenance are responsible for the safety of their customers and themselves. To improve public transportation safety to the highest practicable level in the state and comply with FTA requirements.
FAX developed its Agency Safety Plan (ASP) to ensure that the necessary processes are in place to accomplish both enhanced safety at the local level and the goals of the National Public Transportation Safety Plan (NSP), FAX has adopted this PTASP and the tenets of SMS including a Safety Management Policy (SMP) and the processes for Safety Risk Management (SRM), Safety Assurance (SA), and Safety Promotion (SP), per 49 U.S.C. 5329(d)(1)(A) . While safety has always been a primary function at FAX, this document lays out a process to fully implement SMS over the next several years that complies with the PTASP final rule, as amended.
Overview
The City of Fresno’s Transportation Department offers 19 fixed-route bus lines and Handy Ride Paratransit Service, all designed to help you get wherever you want to go! We take pride in serving the greater Fresno Metropolitan Area with a modern clean and green fleet of over 100 buses.
Fresno Area Express is operated by the City of Fresno as a public service to all the residents and visitors of Fresno
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Purpose
FAX operations depend upon the proficiency and well-being of its employees and the maximization of its capital resources. To ensure the preservation and safety of these resources, FAX adopted a comprehensive safety management system, with system safety as its foundation, as the model for safety management and continuous improvement in safety performance.
FAX’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) serves as a guideline in the establishment of technical and managerial safety strategies for the identification, assessment, and control of safety risks to FAX customers, employees, contractors, and the public who may come into contact with the system. The plan is updated and posted to FAX’s website to demonstrate the following:
System safety is defined by FAX as the department-wide coordinated effort of all divisions to apply operating, technical, and risk management techniques and principles to conserve life and property, prevent and reduce mishaps or incidents and the effects that result, and maintain a safe and healthful work environment.
The PTASP applies to all FAX operations and to all activities which involve the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the transit system, including system expansions. Each FAX division is responsible for the implementation and success of the plan.
States FAX’s commitment and philosophy to actively sustain safe transit operations.
Establishes and manages safety activities intended to minimize risk and loss of FAX resources, and to maximize the safety of our customers, our employees, contractors, and the public.
Integrates the safety function throughout FAX’s organizational structure, from the Director to managerial staff, to front-line employees. Defines organizational safety responsibilities and accountabilities. Provides for the documentation and verification of safety activities.
Evaluates safety activities for continued improvement.
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Plan Goal and Objectives
Goal
The safety goal is to design, construct, test, and operate a transportation system that attains an optimal level of safety by effectively managing safety risks. This goal is reflected in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance phases. District staff are directed toward achieving this goal within the department’s strategic goals and constraints.
Achievement of the goal is accomplished, in part, through the application of a formal system of analytical techniques and methods for the identification, analysis, evaluation, and resolution of safety risks.
Primary Objectives
The primary objectives of the PTASP are to document and achieve a level of safety performance that meets or exceeds our safety performance targets (SPTs) and the operating experience of similar bus transit systems in the United States through:
Analyzing employee and passenger injuries
Using industry standards for the identification, assessment, evaluation, and mitigation of hazards that may impact customer and employee safety and those that may be affected by bus operations.
Incorporating safety, fire protection, emergency management, and cybersecurity measures into design criteria and specification development in all transit system designs
Analyzing vehicle collisions, mishaps, and other incidents Training FAX personnel in safety-related programs and ensure that safety certifications are up to date and maintained.
Complying with CAL-OSHA rules, local codes, and federal, state, and local environmental regulations
Increasing and strengthening community engagement in the safety of the transit system by involving and educating community organizations and schools in bus safety
Promoting transit safety through campaigns, promotional contests, and other activities
Improve planning and projections for fiscal resources by tracing and analyzing historical data.
Coordinating and communicating safety risks with other city departments, and others, as necessary
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Plan Integration and Lines of Authority - 673.23(d)
The PTASP responsibilities at each organizational level are outlined as follows:
Director of Transportation – is the Accountable Executive and is vested with the primary responsibility for FAX’s activities and overall safety performance. The Director makes decisions regarding resources (e.g., people and funds) to support asset management, SMS activities, and capital investments. The Director also communicates the importance of SMS to the agency, leads by example to promote safe practices and fostering a positive safety culture throughout the agency.
Agency Leadership and Executive Management - are responsible for completing training on SMS and ASP elements, oversee day-to-day operations of SMS in their respective divisions, and modify policies in their respective divisions to be consistent with SMS implementation, as necessary.
Chief Safety Officer – is responsible for developing and maintaining SMS documents, managing the SMS program, managing hazard identification, developing and monitoring safety risk mitigation activities, and ensuring safety documentation is current and accessible to all agency personnel. The Chief Safety Officer also leads by example to promote safe practices, ensures safety practices are current throughout the agency and promotes health and well-being for all involved in transportation activities.
Supervisors and Lead Staff—Supervisors and Lead staff are accountable and responsible for implementing the PTASP, including the safety performance of all personnel and equipment under their supervision, developing and maintaining control measures, and reporting all mishaps and incidents in accordance with the PTASP.
FAX Personnel—All personnel are responsible for performing their work safely, following procedures and rules, calling attention to circumstances that may impact safety performance, and reporting near misses and incidents to their supervisor in accordance with established requirements for the protection of themselves, co-workers, customers, facilities, and equipment.
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Department Profile
Transit Agency Name Fresno Area Experss (FAX)
Transit Agency Address 2223 G Street Fresno, CA 93706
Name and Title of Accountable
Executive Gregory A. Barfield, M.A., Director of Transportation Chief Safety Officer Daniel Colbert, Chief Safety and Security Officer Mode(s) of Service Covered by
This Plan
MBDO: Fixed Route Bus
DRPT: Paratransit (Handy Ride)
List All FTA Funding Types 5307, 5310, 5339
Mode(s) of Service Provided
by the Transit Agency (Directly
operated or contracted
service)
MBDO: Fixed Route Bus
DRPT: Paratransit (Handy Ride)
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Safety Committee
FAX relies upon key staff to participate in the Safety Committee and regular bus driver meetings, driver alert bulletin preparation and distribution, and bi-weekly leadership meetings to support its Safety Management System (SMS) and safety programs. Reported safety hazards are jointly evaluated by the Safety Committee and the Chief Safety Officer during a monthly meeting.
The labor organization that represents the plurality of the transit workers, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) selects the “6” frontline transit worker representatives to serve on the committee.
The committee consists of an equal number of frontline transit workers representatives from ATU, Local 39, FCEA, CFPEA and management representatives as required by 49 U.S.C. 5329 and to the extent practicable. The committee includes frontline transit worker representatives from all major transit service functions, such as operations and maintenance, primarily represented by ATU, Local 39, and FCEA who meet monthly to review issues and make recommendations to improve safety.
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Plan Development and Approval - 673.11(a)(1) / 673.11(a)(5) FAX’s Safety Committee is empowered and authorized by the Director of Transportation to develop, implement, and administer the PTASP to meet the Federal requirements of 49 CFR Part 673. The Chief Safety Officer shall submit to the City of Fresno City Council the Public Transportation Agency Plan for approval.
Certification of Compliance - 673.13(a)(b)
Name of Entity That
Drafted This Plan Fresno Area Express (FAX)
Signature by the
Accountable Executive
Signature of Accountable Executive Date of Signature
for this Revision
Gregory A. Barfield, M.A. Director of
Transportation, Fresno Area Express XX/XX/2025
Approval by the Board
of Directors or an
Equivalent Authority
Name of Individual/Entity That Approved This
Plan Date of Approval
City of Fresno City Council XX/XX/2025
Document File ID 25-1348
Certification of
Compliance
Name of Individual/Entity That Certified This Plan Date of Certification
FAX Safety Committee 09/30/2025
The FAX Safety Committee is responsible for reviewing the PTASP annually and/or verifying that it remains current and effective. The Chief Safety Officer will conduct the annual review of the plan starting at the end of each fiscal year and will be approved by City Council by 10/31/2025 of each year. The focus of the evaluation is to:
Evaluate current safety tasks and initiatives for appropriateness. Refine and improve task descriptions and activities.
Identify new tasks and initiatives that may be required. Define organizational responsibility for accomplishing safety-related tasks, including reporting hierarchies.
Incorporate organizational, operational, or legislative changes.
Changes in the transit system operational configuration; significant system modification; management organization; changes to processes that affect safety, compliance with new or revised FTA regulations, the environment in which the transit system operates; safety policies, goals, or objectives; or regulatory requirements may require revision of the PTASP and/or its implementation. Revisions, if necessary, are coordinated by the Chief Safety Officer and reviewed by the Safety Committee. The Director of Transportation approves annual updates to the PTASP.
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SAFETY PERFORMANCE TARGETS - 673.11(a)(3)
FAX has established Safety Performance Targets (SPTs) that forecast specific numerical targets based on the safety performance measures established by FTA in the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. The department has adopted FTA’s safety performance measures based on revised FTA guidance, which include numbers and rates for: (1) Fatalities, (2) Injuries, (3) Safety Events, (4) Assaults on Transit Workers, and (5) System Reliability.
At a minimum, FTA requires each transit agency to make its safety performance targets available to the State and local MPO.
Safety Performance Measures
Safety Performance Management (Safety PM) is part of the overall TransportaƟon Performance Management (TPM) program, which Federal Highway AdministraƟon (FHWA) defines as a strategic approach and uses system informaƟon to make investment and policy decision, to achieve naƟonal performance goals. The following are performance targets based on safety performance measures established under the NaƟonal Public TransportaƟon Safety Plan. FY25 Goals represent a 10% reduction of FY24 actuals
FY25 VRM are estimated at 5,898,068 an approximate 10% increase Data is derived from National Transit Database (NTD)
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• FY25 Goals represent a 10% reduction of FY24 actuals
• FY25 VRM are estimated at 997,440 an approximate 10% increase • Data is derived from National Transit Database (NTD)
Target Setting Coordination
The Accountable Executive will share the ASP, including safety performance targets, with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in the service area, the Fresno Council of County Governments (FCOG), each year after its formal adoption by the City Council, as required. The Accountable Executive also provides a copy of the formally adopted plan to Caltrans. States and transit agencies must make their safety performance targets available to states and MPO to aid in the planning process, and to the maximum extent practicable, transit agencies must coordinate with states and MPOs in the selection of state and MPO safety performance targets, per 49 CFR 673.15. FAX personnel are available to coordinate with Caltrans and the MPO in the selection of Caltrans and FCOG safety performance and targets upon request.
Targets Transmitted to the
Metropolitan Planning
Organization
Metropolitan Planning Organization Name Submitted
Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG) No later than
10/31/2025
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Employee Safety Reporting Program (ESRP) - 673.23(b)
The Employee Safety Reporting Program (ESRP) encourages employees who identify safety hazards in their day-to-day duties to report them to senior management in good faith, without concerns of consequences. The three ways employees can report safety conditions are:
1. Complete a FAX Safety Concern/Suggestion Reporting Form, either with their name or anonymously.
a) Forms can be accessed online by scanning the QR code posted throughout the facility or in person from the drop box locations throughout the facility b) Completed forms can be submitted online via the QR code, emailed to [email protected], or dropped in one of the drop boxes located throughout the facility
2. Report concerns directly to the Chief Safety & Security Officer, any supervisor, manager, or director
Examples of information typically reported include:
Safety concerns in the operating environment (such as conditions of the road, facilities, or vehicles)
Policies and procedures not working as intended (such as insufficient time to complete pre-trip inspection)
Events that might not otherwise be reported, or that senior managers might not otherwise know about (such as near misses)
Information about why a safety event occurred (such radio communication challenges)
Daily, the Chief Safety Officer checks the comment box and dedicated e-mail address, and documents identified safety conditions in the safety hazard reporting log. The Chief Safety Officer, supported by the Safety Committee, reviews and addresses each employee report, ensuring all employee hazard concerns and recommendations are appropriately identified and resolved through the SRM process. Reported deficiencies and non-compliance with rules or procedures are managed through the Safety Assurance process. Additionally, if the reporting employee provided his or her name during the reporting process, the Chief Safety Officer or designee follows up directly with the employee after any mitigations are implemented.
FAX encourages participation in the ESRP by protecting employees who report safety conditions in good faith. However, FAX may take disciplinary action if the report involves any of the following:
• Willful participation in illegal activity, such as assault or theft • Gross negligence, such as knowingly utilizing heavy equipment for purposes other than intended such that people or property are put at risk
• Deliberate or willful disregard of regulations
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Safety Management System Policy - 673.23(a)
FAX commits to:
Support the management of safety through the provision of appropriate resources, which will result in an organizational culture that fosters safe practices, encourages effective employee safety reporting and communication, and actively manages safety with the utmost attention and prioritization. Integrate the management of safety among the primary responsibilities of all managers and employees.
Clearly define for all staff (managers and employees) their accountabilities and responsibilities for the delivery of the organization’s safety performance and the performance of the organization’s SMS.
Establish and operate hazard identification and analysis, and safety risk assessment activities, including an Employee Safety Reporting Program (ESRP) as a fundamental source for safety concerns and hazard identification, which will eliminate or mitigate the safety risk of the consequences of hazards resulting from activities to a point that is consistent with the organization's acceptable level of safety performance.
Ensure no action will be taken against any employee who discloses a safety concern through the ESRP, unless disclosure indicates, beyond any reasonable doubt, an illegal act, gross negligence, or a deliberate or willful disregard of regulations or procedures by the reporting employee.
Comply with, and wherever possible exceed, legislative and regulatory requirements and standards.
Ensure sufficiently skilled and trained human resources are available to implement safety management processes.
Ensure all staff is provided with adequate and appropriate safety-related information and training, are competent in safety management matters, and are allocated only tasks commensurate with their skills.
Establish and measure safety performance against realistic and data-driven safety performance indicators and safety performance through management processes, which ensure appropriate safety management action is taken and is effective. Ensure externally supplied systems and services to support operations are delivered meeting or exceeding safety performance standards.
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SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT - 673.25
Safety Hazard Identification - 673.25(b)
The safety hazard identification process offers FAX the ability to identify hazards and potential consequences in the operation and maintenance of its system. Hazards can be identified through a variety of sources, including:
ESRP submissions
Review of vehicle camera footage
Review of monthly performance data and safety performance targets Observations from supervisors
Maintenance reports
Comments from customers, passengers, and third parties, including transit insurance pool and vendors
Safety Committee and Staff Meetings
Results of audits and inspections of vehicles and facilities Results of training assessments
Investigations into safety events
FTA and other oversight authorities (mandatory information source) When a safety concern is observed by management or supervisory personnel, whatever the source, it is reported to the Chief Safety & Security Officer. Procedures for reporting hazards to the Chief Safety & Security Officer are reviewed during Leadership Meetings and in the Safety Committee. The Chief Safety Officer also receives employee reports from the ESRP, customer comments related to safety, and the dispatch daily Operations Log. The Chief Safety & Security Officer reviews these sources for hazards and documents them in the Safety Risk Database.
The Chief Safety & Security Officer also may enter hazards into the Safety Risk Database based on his or her review of operations and maintenance, the results of audits and observations, and information received from FTA and other oversight authorities, as well as the National Transportation Safety Board.
The Chief Safety & Security Officer may conduct further analyses of hazards and consequences entered into the Safety Risk Database to collect information and identify additional consequences and to inform them what hazards should be prioritized for safety risk assessment. In following up on identified hazards, the Chief Safety & Security Officer may:
Reach out to the reporting party, if available, to gather all known information about the reported hazard
Conduct a walk-through of the affected area, assessing the possible hazardous condition, generating visual documentation (photographs and/or video), and taking any measurements deemed necessary
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Conduct interviews with employees in the area to gather potentially relevant information on the reported hazard
Review any documentation associated with the hazard (records, reports, procedures, inspections, technical documents, etc.)
Contact other departments that may have association with or technical knowledge relevant to the reported hazard
Review any past reported hazards of a similar nature; and Evaluate tasks and/or processes associated with the reported hazard.
The Chief Safety & Security Officer will prepare an agenda to discuss identified hazards and consequences with the Safety Committee during monthly meetings. This agenda may include additional background on the hazards and consequences, such as the results of trend analyses, vehicle camera footage, vendor documentation, reports and observations, or information supplied by FTA or other oversight authorities.
Any identified hazard that poses a real and immediate threat to life, property, or the environment must immediately be brought to the attention of the Director of Transportation and addressed through the SRM process (with or without the full Safety Committee) for safety risk assessment and mitigation. This means the Chief Safety & Security Officer believes immediate intervention is necessary to preserve life, prevent major property destruction, or avoid harm to the environment that would constitute a violation of Environmental Protection Agency or the City of Fresno’s environmental protection standards. Otherwise, the Safety Committee will prioritize hazards for further SRM activity.
Safety Risk Assessment - 673.25(c)
FAX assesses safety risk associated with identified safety hazards using its safety risk assessment process. This includes an assessment of the likelihood and severity of the consequences of hazards, including existing mitigations, and prioritizing hazards based on safety risk.
The Chief Safety& Security Officer and Safety Committee assess prioritized hazards using the FAX Safety Risk Matrix. This matrix expresses assessed risk as a combination of one severity category and one likelihood level, also referred to as a hazard rating. For example, a risk may be assessed as “1A” or the combination of a Catastrophic (1) severity category and a Highly (A) probability level. This matrix also categorizes combined risks into levels (High, Medium, or Low) based on the likelihood of occurrence and severity of the outcome. Using a categorization of High, Medium, or Low allows for hazards to be prioritized for mitigation based on their associated safety risk. For purposes of accepting risk:
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High” hazard ratings will be considered unacceptable and require action from FAX to mitigate the safety risk
“Medium” hazard ratings will be considered undesirable and require the Safety Committee to make a decision regarding their acceptability
“Low” hazard ratings may be accepted by the Chief Safety & Security Officer without additional review
“Very Low” hazard ratings may be accepted by the Chief Safety & Security Officer without additional review
The Chief Safety & Security Officer schedules safety risk assessment activities on the Safety Committee agenda and prepares a Safety Risk Assessment Package. This package is distributed at least one week in advance of the Safety Committee meeting. During the meeting, the Chief Safety & Security Officer reviews the hazard and its consequence(s) and reviews available information distributed in the Safety Risk Assessment Package on severity and likelihood. The Chief Safety & Security Officer may request support from members of the Safety Committee in obtaining additional information to support the safety risk assessment.
Once sufficient information has been obtained, the Chief Safety & Security Officer will facilitate completion of relevant sections of the Safety Risk database, using the Safety Risk Assessment Matrix, with the Safety Committee. The Chief Safety & Security Officer will document the Safety Committee safety risk assessment, including hazard rating and mitigation options for each assessed safety hazard in the Safety Risk database. The Chief Safety & Security Officer will maintain on file Safety Committee agendas, Safety Risk Assessment Packages, additional information collection, and completed Safety Risk database sections for a period of three years from the date of generation.
Safety Risk Mitigation (SRM) - 673.25(d)
The Director of Transportation, Chief Safety Officer, and key staff review current methods of safety risk mitigation and establish methods or procedures to mitigate or eliminate safety risk associated with specific hazards based on recommendations from the Safety Committee. FAX can reduce safety risks by reducing the likelihood and/or severity of potential consequences of hazards.
Prioritization of safety risk mitigations is based on the results of safety risk assessments. The Chief Safety & Security Officer tracks and updates safety risk mitigation information in the Safety Risk Database and makes the database available to the Safety Committee during monthly meetings and to FAX staff upon request.
In the Safety Risk Database, the Chief Safety & Security Officer will also document any specific measures or activities, such as reviews, observations, or audits, which will be conducted to monitor the effectiveness of mitigations once implemented.
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Assault Mitigation
All buses are equipped with:
Audio and visual camera system
Driver compartment barriers
Our Major bus hubs located at Courthouse Park and Manchester Transit Center, and our busiest corridors along Blackstone, Cesar Chavez, and Ventura Avenues are equipped with live feed security cameras.
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SAFETY ASSURANCE - 673.27 (a)
Through its Safety Assurance process, FAX:
Evaluates its compliance with operations and maintenance procedures to determine whether existing rules and procedures are sufficient to control the safety risk Assesses the effectiveness of safety risk mitigations to make sure the mitigations are appropriate and are implemented as intended
Investigates safety events to identify causal factors Analyzes information from safety reporting, including data about safety failures, defects, or conditions
Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement
FAX has many processes in place to monitor its entire transit system for compliance with operations and maintenance procedures, including:
Safety audits
Informal inspections
Regular review of onboard camera footage to assess drivers and specific incidents ESRP
Investigation of safety occurrences
Safety review prior to the launch or modification of any facet of service Daily data gathering and monitoring of data related to the delivery of service Regular vehicle inspections and preventative maintenance
Results from the above processes are compared against recent performance trends quarterly and annually by the Chief Safety Officer to determine appropriate actions. The Chief Safety Officer enters any identified non-compliant or ineffective activities, including mitigations, back into the SRM process for reevaluation by the Safety Committee.
FAX monitors safety risk mitigations to determine if they have been implemented and are effective, appropriate, and working as intended. The Chief Safety Officer maintains a list of safety risk mitigations in the Safety Risk Database. The mechanism for monitoring safety risk mitigations varies depending on the mitigation.
The Chief Safety Officer establishes one or more mechanisms for monitoring safety risk mitigations as part of the mitigation implementation process and assigns monitoring activities to the appropriate director, manager, or supervisor. These monitoring mechanisms may include tracking a specific metric daily, weekly, or monthly logs or reports; conducting job performance observations; or other activities. The Chief Safety Officer will endeavor to make use of existing FAX processes and activities before assigning new information collection activities.
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The Chief Safety Officer and Safety Committee review the performance of individual safety risk mitigations during Safety Committee meetings, based on the reporting schedule determined for each mitigation, and determine if a specific safety risk mitigation is not implemented or performing as intended. If the mitigation is not implemented or performing as intended, the Safety Committee will propose a course of action to modify the mitigation or take other action to manage the safety risk. The Chief Safety Officer will approve or modify this proposed course of action and oversee its execution.
The Chief Safety Officer and Safety Committee also monitor the operations on a large scale to identify mitigations that may be ineffective, inappropriate, or not implemented as intended by:
Reviewing results from accident, incident, and occurrence investigations Monitoring employee safety reporting
Reviewing results of internal safety audits and inspections Analyzing operational and safety data to identify emerging safety concerns
The Chief Safety Officer works with the Safety Committee and Accountable Executive to carry out and document all monitoring activities.
FAX maintains documented procedures for conducting safety investigations of events (accidents, incidents, and occurrences, as defined by FTA) to find causal and contributing factors and review the existing mitigations in place at the time of the event. These procedures also reflect all traffic safety reporting and investigation requirements established by California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
The Chief Safety Officer maintains all documentation of investigation policies, processes, forms, checklists, activities, and results. As detailed in the procedures, an investigation report is prepared and sent to the Accident Review Committee (ARC) for integration into its analysis of the event.
ARC consists of five members who represent management, FAX training officers, ATU leadership/designee, operations, and law enforcement. ARC determines whether:
The accident was preventable or non-preventable
Personnel require discipline or retraining
The causal factor(s) indicate(s) a safety hazard contributed to or was present during the event
The accident appears to involve underlying organizational causal factors beyond a solely individual employee behavior.
The Chief Safety Officer and Safety Committee routinely review safety data captured in employee safety reports, safety meeting minutes, customer complaints, and other safety communication channels. When necessary, the Chief Safety Officer and Safety Committee ensure the concerns are investigated or analyzed through the FAX SRM process.
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The Chief Safety Officer and Safety Committee also review internal and external reviews, including audits and assessments, with findings concerning safety performance, compliance with operations and maintenance procedures, or the effectiveness of safety risk mitigations.
Infectious Diseases
In the event of an outbreak or a pandemic, the Chief Safety & Security Officer will review the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the local health department, and work with City leadership to implement those recommendations on public transit until the event has ended.
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Safety Promotion – 673.29
Competencies and Training
The comprehensive safety training program applies to all FAX employees directly responsible for safety, including, but not limited to:
• Bus vehicle operators (drivers)
• Dispatchers
• Maintenance technicians
• General office staff
• Managers and supervisors
• Agency Leadership and Executive Management
• Chief Safety & Security Officer
• Director of Transportation
FAX dedicates resources to conduct a comprehensive safety training program, as well as training on the SMS roles and responsibilities. The scope of the safety training, including annual refresher training, is appropriate to each employee’s individual safety- related job responsibilities and his or her role in the SMS. Basic training requirements for FAX employees, including frequencies and refresher training, are documented in the Safety Training Matrix and the Employee Handbook.
Operations, safety-related skill training include the following:
• New-hire bus vehicle operator classroom and hands-on skill training • Bus vehicle operator refresher training
• Bus vehicle operator retraining (recertification or return to work) • Classroom and on-the-job training for dispatchers
• Classroom and on-the-job training for operations supervisors and managers • Accident investigation training for operations supervisors and managers • De-escalation training for all bus drivers and transit supervisors • Wellness and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) training
Vehicle maintenance safety-related skill training includes the following:
• Ongoing vehicle maintenance technician skill training • Ongoing skill training for vehicle maintenance supervisors • Accident investigation training for vehicle maintenance supervisors • Ongoing hazardous material training for vehicle maintenance technicians and supervisors • Training provided by vendors
• De-escalation training for all mechanics and equipment supervisors. • Wellness and EAP training
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FAX Accountable Executive and Agency Leadership and Executive Management team must complete the FTA SMS Awareness online training.
Safety Communication
The Chief Safety Officer and Administrative Manager coordinate safety communication activities for the SMS. FAX activities focus on the three categories of communication activity established in 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 673:
• Communicating safety and safety performance information throughout the agency: FAX communicates information on safety and safety performance in the FAX voice and during staff meetings. FAX also has a permanent agenda item on all Safety Committee Meetings dedicated to open discussion regarding overall department safety. Information typically conveyed during these meetings includes safety performance statistics, lessons learned from recent occurrences, upcoming events that may impact FAX service or safety performance, and updates regarding SMS implementation. FAX also requests information from drivers during these meetings, which is recorded in meeting minutes. Finally, the Chief Safety Officer or designee posts safety bulletins and flyers on the bulletin boards located in all bus operator and maintenance break rooms, advertising safety messages and promoting awareness of safety issues. • Communicating information on hazards and safety risks relevant to employees' roles and responsibilities throughout the agency: As part of new-hire training, FAX distributes safety policies and procedures, included in the Employee Handbook, to all employees. FAX provides training on these policies and procedures and discusses them during safety talks between held by all divisions. For newly emerging issues or safety events at the agency, the Chief Safety Officer issues bulletins or messages to employees that are reinforced by supervisors in one-on-one or group discussions with employees.
Informing employees of safety actions taken in response to reports submitted through the ESRP: FAX provides targeted communications to inform employees of safety actions taken in response to reports submitted through the ESRP, including handouts, flyers, safety talks, updates to bulletin boards, and one-on-one discussions between employees and supervisors.
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Additional Information
Supporting Documentation
The City of Fresno will maintain documentation related to the implementation of its SMS; the programs, policies, and procedures used to carry out this ASP; and the results from its SMS process and activities pursuant to the City of Fresno’s record retention schedule, which is detailed under Resolution No. 2008-243 of the Council of the City of Fresno. Said documentation will be available to the FTA or other Federal or oversight entity upon request.
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Definitions and Acronyms of Terms Used in the ASP
Definitions
Accident: Event that involves any of the following: a loss of life; a report of a serious injury to a person; a collision of public transportation vehicles; an evacuation for life- safety reasons.
Accountable Executive: The single, identifiable person who has ultimate responsibility for carrying out the PTASP of the agency; responsibility for carrying out the agency’s Transit Asset Management Plan; and control or direction over the human and capital resources needed to develop and maintain both the agency’s PTASP, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. section 5329(d), and the agency’s Transit Asset Management Plan in accordance with 49 U.S.C. section 5326.
Agency or Transit Agency: City of Fresno Department of Transportation/FAX.
Chief Safety Officer: The adequately trained individual who has responsibility for safety and reports directly to the transit agency chief executive officer.
City Council: Governing body of City of Fresno Department of Transportation/FAX. Event: Any accident, incident, or occurrence.
Federal Transit Administration: An operating administration within the United States Department of Transportation.
Hazard: Any real or potential condition that can cause injury, illness, or death, damage to or loss of the facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure of the system, or damage to the environment.
Incident: An event that involves any of the following: a personal injury that is not a serious injury, one or more injuries requiring medical transport, or damage to facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure that disrupts the operations of the transit agency.
Investigation: The process to determine the causal and contributing factors of an accident, incident, or hazard to prevent recurrence and mitigate risk.
National Public Transportation Safety Plan: The plan to improve the safety of all public transportation systems receiving federal funding under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53.
Occurrence: An event without any personal injury in which any damage to facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure does not disrupt the operations of the transit agency.
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Definitions, continued
Part 673: 49 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 673.
Performance Measure: An expression based on a quantifiable indicator of performance or condition that is used to establish targets and to assess progress toward meeting the established targets.
Performance Target: A quantifiable level of performance or condition, expressed as a value for the measure, to be achieved within a time period required by the FTA.
Risk: The composite of predicted severity and likelihood of the potential effect of a hazard.
Risk Mitigation: A method or methods to eliminate or reduce the effects of hazards.
Safety Assurance: Processes within the transit agency Safety Management Systems that function to ensure the implementation and effectiveness of safety risk mitigation, and to ensure the transit agency meets or exceeds its safety objectives through the collection, analysis, and assessment of information.
Safety Management Policy: The transit agency’s documented commitment to safety, which defines its safety objectives and the accountabilities and responsibilities of its employees with regard to safety.
Safety Management Systems: The formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of the transit agency’s safety risk mitigation. SMS includes systematic procedures, practices, and policies for managing risks and hazards.
Safety Performance Target: A performance target related to safety management activities.
Safety Promotion: A combination of training and communication of safety information to support SMS as applied to the transit agency’s public transportation system.
Safety Risk Assessment: Means the formal activity whereby the transit agency determines Safety Risk Management priorities by establishing the significance or value of its safety risks.
Safety Risk Management: A process within the transit agency’s PTASP for identifying hazards and analyzing, assessing, and mitigating safety risk.
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Definitions, continued
Serious Injury: Any injury that: (1) requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, commencing within seven days from the date the injury was received; (2) results in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or noses); (3) causes severe hemorrhages, nerve, muscle, or tendon damage; (4) involves any internal organ; or (5) involves second or third-degree burns, or any burns affecting more than five percent of the body surface.
State of Good Repair: The condition in which a capital asset is able to operate at a full level of performance.
Transit Asset Management Plan: The strategic and systematic practice of procuring, operating, inspecting, maintaining, rehabilitating, and replacing transit capital assets to manage their performance, risks, and costs over their life cycles, for the purpose of providing safe, cost- effective, and reliable public transportation, as required by 49 U.S.C. section 5326 and 49 CFR Part 625.
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Acronyms
ARC Accident Review Committee
ASP Agency Safety Plan – used interchangeably with PTASP, below ATU Amalgamated Transit Union
CDC Centers for Disease Control
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DMV Department of Motor Vehicles
DOT Department of Transportation
DRPT Demand Response Purchased Transportation
EAP Employee Assistance Program
ESRP Employee Safety Reporting Program
FAX Fresno Area Express
FCOG Fresno Council of Governments
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
FTA Federal Transit Administration
MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century
MBDO Motor Bus Directly Operated
MPO Municipal Planning Organization
NTD National Transit Database
PTASP Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan – used interchangeably with ASP, above QR Quick Response
Safety PM Safety Performance Management
SMS Safety Management Systems
SGR State of Good Repair
SPT Safety Performance Target
SRA Safety Risk Assessment
SRM Safety Risk Management
TPM Transportation Performance Management
U.S.C. United States Code
VRM Vehicle Revenue Miles